The present disclosure relates to an optical measurement system and an optical measurement apparatus, and more specifically to an optical measurement system and an optical measurement apparatus in which a measurement is performed by irradiating a measurement light onto a subject and receiving the measurement light emitted outside from the subject.
Conventionally, an optical measurement apparatus is known in which a measurement is performed by irradiating a measurement light onto a subject and receiving the measurement light emitted outside from the subject (see, e.g., Patent Documents 1 and 2, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety).
In the aforementioned Patent Document 1, an optical measurement apparatus is disclosed, in which a measurement light is output from a measurement apparatus main body via an optical fiber cable to a light transmitting probe mounted on a head of a subject and the measurement light reflected (scattered) in a brain is received by a light receiving probe via an optical cable to be detected. This optical measurement apparatus is a carriage-type apparatus having wheels, which is a transportable (conveyable) type apparatus capable of approaching close to a subject for a measurement.
In the aforementioned Patent Document 2, an optical measurement apparatus (portable type) is disclosed, in which it is configured such that a measuring equipment in which plural light sources and plural detectors are arranged is mounted on a head in a portable manner. Light sources and detectors are connected to a measuring apparatus by cables, and the control of the light sources and detectors is performed on the measuring apparatus side.
Such optical measurement apparatus is used as a means for non-invasively measuring a brain function of a human body by obtaining a bloodstream distribution of a brain of a subject from optical measurement results, and especially used in research institutions, medical institutions, etc., related to brain science. The conveyable type as disclosed in the aforementioned Patent Document 1 is high in restriction to a subject, and therefore a measurement is performed mostly in a state not accompanying the subject's movements. Further, in the portable type as disclosed by the aforementioned Patent Document 2, the measuring equipment can be mounted on a subject, and therefore, for example, a measurement can be performed in a state closed to a daily performance, but an external computer is typically required to perform settings of measuring conditions for a measuring apparatus or processing and management of measured data. For this reason, the conveyable type apparatus and the portable type apparatus were conventionally used depending on the intended purpose or the usage environment (utilization purpose) as a separate independent apparatus.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-349027.
[Patent Document 2] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-173140.
Since an optical measurement apparatus is used in an academic field of brain science, there is a demand to perform various measuring methods in various environments depending on research contents. In order to meet this demand, it is desirable to prepare both of the conveyable type and the portable type so that both types can be selectively used depending on the application (research contents). However, in cases where there is a need to increase the number of measurement channels, such as, e.g., a case in which there is a demand to obtain more detail data or a case in which there is a demand to simultaneously perform measurements of a plurality of subjects, it is likely to be necessary to prepare an optical measurement apparatus which is the same type of an optical measurement apparatus (conveyable type or portable type). This requires a possession of plural apparatuses on each of both types, which increases additional capital investments. Further, for a portable type apparatus, it is likely necessary to prepare an external computer. Also from this view point, an additional capital investment increases. Therefore, conventionally, it is difficult to cope with the usage in various applications and/or usage environments while suppressing additional capital investments.
The description herein of advantages and disadvantages of various features, embodiments, methods, and apparatus disclosed in other publications is in no way intended to limit the present invention. For example, certain features of the described embodiments of the invention may be capable of overcoming certain disadvantages and/or providing certain advantages, such as, e.g., disadvantages and/or advantages discussed herein, while retaining some or all of the features, embodiments, methods, and apparatus disclosed therein.